The Prima Pramac Racing team currently sits in an unfortunate position, occupying last place in the 2026 MotoGP standings. In order to improve and turn things around, the team has roped in Ross Brawn, one of the most successful F1 Team Principals who retired from the sport in 2014. 

However, he is not replacing Team Principal and owner Paolo Campinoti. According to a press release from MotoGP.com, Brawn will act as a strategic advisor to Campinoti, bringing extensive experience from the world of F1. 

In the same statement, Campinoti extended a warm welcome and noted that his qualities will help the growth of the team, saying:

"Beyond his extraordinary career and achievements in Formula 1, Ross is someone with whom I have shared a friendship and a relationship of great respect for many years. I believe that his vision, knowledge, and winning mentality will make a valuable contribution to the continued growth and development of Pramac Racing."

In a career spanning nearly four decades, Brawn has won a total of 22 world titles, which include 11 Constructors’ and 11 Drivers’ Championships.

He was a part of all of Michael Schumacher's championships at Benetton and Ferrari. This included the Scuderia's F1 dominance in the early 2000s, with Schumacher winning five consecutive world titles between 2000 and 2004. 

Brawn then left Ferrari towards the end of 2006 and joined Honda in 2007. However, what is perhaps Brawn’s most special achievement was just around the corner. 

A World Champion F1 Team That Existed For Just One Year

The economic crisis of 2008 resulted in Honda’s sudden departure from F1, leaving question marks hanging all over the careers and lives of 700 employees. It was at that moment that Brawn decided to step up. 

He struck a deal which would see Honda fund a new team with $100 million, while Mercedes-Benz would supply the engine. This was the story of the infamous £1 buyout, and thus Brawn GP was born, with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello piloting what was known as the BGP-001 car. 

The team was off to a strong start in the 2009 season, with a 1-2 finish in the Australian Grand Prix, marking it the first time since 1954 that a team won in its debut race.

It was Button who dominated the first half of the season, winning six of seven races. Meanwhile, Barrichello came to life later, winning at Valencia and Monza in the second half.

The team ended its solitary season with 172 points in its tally, with Button becoming the World Champion, while Barrichello finished third in the standings. However, in 2009, Daimler AG announced its acquisition of Brawn GP, taking over 75.1% stake in the company, while Ross Brawn and Nick Fry retained 24.9%. 

The team was rebranded to Mercedes GP, which would eventually morph into what we know as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team today. 

Read more at Motor Culture! 

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Yask Kotak